Metallic horse-collar.



PATENTED AUG. 1, 1905;

J. B. HOWELL. METALLIC HORSE COLLAR.

APPLICATION FILED OOT. 14,1903.

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UNITED STATES. PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN B. HOWELL, OF SAGINAW,MICHIGAN, ASS IGNOR TO THE COMBINA- TION COLLAR AND HAME COMPANY, OF SAGINAW, MICHIGAN.

METALLIC HORSE-COLLAR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 1, 1905.

Application filed October 14;,1903- Serial No. 177,032.

such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention is an improvement in horsecollars, and relates more particularly to horsecollars formed of an outer shell of pressed sheet metal and provided on its inner or bear-- ing faces with leather pads or cushions.

Theimprovernent consists in the parts, their combinations, and the equivalents thereof, as shown in the accompanying drawings and set forth in the specification and claim of the application.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front View of a horse-collar embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 shows the collar opened. Fig. 3 is an enlarged section on the line a; a of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail broken away in part, showing the device for fastening the two lower ends of the collar'together. Fig. 5 is a detail showing the method of lacing the metal collar to the leather facing; and Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail broken away in part, showing the method of stitching the metal collar and leather facing together.

As isclearly shown in the drawings, the collar consists in the usual two right-hand and left-hand members 1 and 2, each of which is formed of an outer shell of sheet metal pressed into the form of the collar-front and having a forwardly and outwardly extending roll 3 along its front edge. This roll is formed, as shown in Fig. 3, by fianging the metal plate out and then bending or curling its front edge back. The roll or flange imparts great strength and stiffness to the collar, so that the shells 1 and 2 can be made of very thin metal and still possess the requisite strength to resist distortion in use. To the inner face of each stamped-metal shell is secured a pad 4. This pad has a leather facing 5, stitched at its edges ff and 5 to the shell, which is provided with perforations for that purpose. These perforations are formed in pairs, as shown in Fig. 6, there being a depressed tongue or strip 7 extending between them. The leather thong 8, by which the of the shell.

facing 5 is stitched to the metal, is passed through the leather and up through one of the perforations, across the tongue, and down through the other perforation. The depression of the tongue being equal to the thickness of thethong, the latter is left-flush with the face of the metal, so that the stitches are not liable to become worn or broken.

To fasten the lower ends of the collar together, I employ a spring-operated catch .9. (Shown in Fig. 4.) This catch is mounted as follows: To one of the shells 2 is riveted a pressed-metal shield 10, the cross-sectional shape of which is such as to fit the flange One end of the shield 10 projects beyond the end of the shell 2 and telescopes with the corresponding end of the op posite shell, as shown in Fig. 4. I The latch 9 is pivoted to the shield 10 by means of a pin 11. At its outer end it carries a hook 9, adapted to engage a corresponding hook 12', carried by the opposite shell 1. Theinner end of the latch 9 carries a spring 9", whereby the outer end of the latch is pressed normally inward. The outer end of the hook 9 is beveled and slides over the correspondingly-beveled end 12 of the hook 12 to interlock. The hooks 9 and 12 prevent the lower part of the collar from opening, and the curved shield 10, which telescopes with the roll of the shell 1, keeps the two collar members in the same plane and prevents them from bending back while understrain.

1 have shown in Fig. 1 a pair of upwardlyprojecting rods 13 formed to represent hames; but it is not necessary to provide this collar with hames, the strength and stiffness requisite to resist the pull of the traces being provided by the upwardly and rearwardly curved flanges 3 3, integral with the metal shells.

In practice I prefer to fasten the traces to the lugs 14, of suitable form, riveted tothe shells.

By the means above described I have produced a horse-collar which can be easily and cheaply manufactured, there being only two main metal parts, each of which is capable of being formed by a simple operation of stamping and pressing, and is of such shape that very little material is wasted. The form of the front roll or flange 3 3 gives a neat finished appearance to the collar and also imparts strength and rigidity to the collar. This form of roll also permits of the use of the latch 9 for locking the two parts together. Since the latch inclosure or shield 10 is of the same cross-sectional shape as the roll of the collar, it not only protects the catch 9 against injury, but by telescoping with both members it adds lateral stiffness to the joint between them.

WhatI claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

In a metallic horse-collar comprising two members each having a pressed sheet-metal roll along its front edge; a sheet-metal shield having a roll on one edge secured within the lower end of the roll of one member and adapted to telescope with the end of the roll of the opposite member; a spring-pressed latch pivotally mounted on said shield by a latch to lock said members together.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two wltnesses.

JOHN B. HOWELL.

Witnesses:

EDWIN KERSTEN, W. E. PIOKERI'NG. 

